Blood Curse
by Amalthea-Shine
Summary: Loki is ill, and the only ones who know how to heal him are six mysterious girls. But they will not find it easy to reach him, and time is running out.
1. Chapter 1

I had a dream about this one night and thought it might make a good story. Won't be as detailed, though.

This is in no way connected to "Heal Me." This is a separate universe entirely. Sorry fans, it's not the sequel. That is coming out, though, so keep watching for it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Thor. I wish I did, then I would make Loki a good guy. Though, he does make a freaking awesome villain.

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Chapter 1: Unknown Illness

Odin looked down at his adopted son lying on the bed in front of him. A mixture of emotions ran through his heart, all fighting for dominance.

It had barely been over a month since Thor had returned to Asgard with Loki and the Tesseract. During that time, waiting for punishment in his cell, Loki had become ill. While that by itself had been no reason for alarm, it had become obvious that something was seriously wrong when the healers could not determine what was making Loki sick or how to cure him. Meanwhile, Loki had steadily gotten worse.

It had started off with a sore throat, fever, and headache. Now, he didn't even have the strength to sit up on his own. He spent most of his time sleeping, waking up only a few times a day. He had to be fed by hand and could only stomach warm broth. He would go back to sleep almost immediately afterwards.

Even then, he did not sleep well. He was constantly plagued by nightmares and would violently thrash in his sleep. He could not remember any of them, only that they had terrified him. It was difficult for him to go back to sleep after that. Frigga tried to help by reading or singing to him. She was at the point where she refused to leave his side. Even though she had not given birth to him, she had still raised him since he was a baby and still saw him as her son.

It had been two days since Loki had last woken up, and Odin was out of ideas. He turned to his best healer, who stood off to the side after examining Loki once more.

"I'm sorry, Allfather," she said. "We still cannot determine the nature of this mysterious illness. Every cure we have tried does nothing. He is dying."

Frigga began to cry at those last words. She reached out and took Loki's hand in her own, trying in vain to believe that the healers were wrong, that there was still hope for Loki.

Odin began to think hard, wondering if there was anything they hadn't tried yet. He'd already had them consider illnesses that only affected Frost Giants, which led to no new results. Thor had already been throughout the nine realms searching for healers that specialized in this sort of thing. They had given him the same answers his own healers were giving him now. The God of thunder was still out searching for anyone he had possibly overlooked, but Odin doubted that he would bring back any better news.

It seemed completely hopeless that Loki would recover.

"It would only be cruel to prolong his suffering," the healer said. "The best course of action would be to end it."

"NO!"

The healers, and Odin, jumped at Frigga's shout. Only Loki had not reacted, sleeping peacefully for the first time since he had become comatose, and blissfully unaware of the conversation taking place around him. The one that was determining his immediate future.

Frigga tried to be angry, but the tears in her eyes said different about the reason for her outburst.

"I will not give up," she said, not letting go of Loki's hand. "Thor has not yet returned. There is still a chance. We will wait for him to return before deciding anything."

Not even Odin dared to say anything different to her. Though he would never show it, he also tried to have hope and believe that there was still a chance for Loki, still a chance for a miracle to happen. But, has time passed and Loki got worse, that miracle seemed more impossible every second.

* * *

Unknown to everyone in the room, there was another person listening to what was being said. A spirit, one who wandered away from Niflheim to see what was taking place. No one could see him, but he could see and hear everything that was happening. As he watched, his heart grew heavy. There was no need to wonder about what to do, as he already knew the solution. He drifted out of the room and away from Asgard. With a destination in mind, he set out to contact someone he knew had the cure for what was causing Loki's pain.

* * *

A few hours later, a young woman sat up in bed, startled out of sleep suddenly. A glance out her window told her that it was still late at night, or early in the morning. Looking at her clock confirmed that it was early morning. She threw off the covers, stood up, and walked towards the window. Thinking back to what had awoken her, she shivered ever so slightly.

"It will not be easy." She seemed to be talking to empty air, but there was someone specific that her words were directed at. "But we will do what must be done. You can count on us."

She touched the gemstone that hung around her neck, a color mixture of light blue and light green, like ice. It glowed faintly, but not because it was reflecting light. This jewel glowed from within. It was a light similar to that of the Casket of Ancient Winters.

"I promise, Father, we will not fail."

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So how was that? Did I do alright? Does this seem interesting? Can you guess the identity of the spirit and who the girl might be?

Please review and let me know so I'm motivated to post the next chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

blondehairedknowitall: Glad you're intrigued. Hope you like this next chapter.

anastacianott: I wrote more.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Thor._ I only own my plot and OCs.

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Chapter 2: Preparations

On Midgard, in the brightly lit kitchen of a large country house, five females went about the task of fixing breakfast.

The eldest of the girls present looked about nineteen. Her curly, dark-brown hair was tied in a ponytail to keep it out of both her face and the scrambled eggs she was making. Green-brown hazel eyes gazed down at the pan, concentrating only on the task before her. She wore a simple blue T-shirt and denim jeans with nothing on her feet.

Next to her stood a young woman of about sixteen flipping pancakes. Light blue eyes were lit up with smiles as she bounced her head in rhythm with the music she was listening to, her blond braid thumping against her back with each movement. Her earbuds managed to stay in, connected to the IPod in her pocket. A rumpled, turquoise tank top and grey sweat pants were her choice of clothing. She wore fuzzy black socks, however, for sliding around on the kitchen floor; 'cause who doesn't love doing that?

And next to her stood a thirteen year old cooking bacon on a large skillet. Dark red hair piled on top of her head in a bun while her dark brown eyes kept glancing over to a book that lay open on the counter. Her pajamas were bright red, the bottoms decorated with pink and white hearts. Pink slippers covered her feet.

Working at the bar that separated the kitchen from the dining room was a ten year old slicing fruit. Her dirty-blond hair was pulled back into a loose, low ponytail, as if it had been done in a hurry and without much thought. Her midnight-blue eyes were intensely focused on the task in front of her, as she did not wish to accidently cut herself. She was barefoot, wearing a white, cotton nightgown with pictures of different flowers.

And last, a seven year old was pulling plates, knives, and forks out of the drawers and cupboards to set on the table. She was a bit behind as she had, once again, gone to collect eggs from the chicken coup in her pjs and slipped in a small puddle on her way back. She had to be sent back to her room to wash up and change. Now she wore her favorite pink T-shirt with a white kitten on the front, decorated with sparkles, and a pink, knee-length skirt, even though she would only have to change again to do chores later that day. Her light brown hair, which matched her eyes, was not held back like the others.

As the girls finished preparing the food and began to set it all on the table, they paused to turn and glance at the staircase. The eldest of their group had not come down yet. She was the one in charge of making smoothies and juices, as no one could make them like she could. It was not like her to be the last one down. In fact, she was usually up and working long before any of the others had gotten out of bed. Something serious must have happened to delay her. As curious and worried as the others were, they knew it was unwise to disturb her. They had all learned that lesson the hard way, despite the many warnings from others. They decided that the best course of action would be to continue breakfast as normal and wait for her.

They had all just sat down in their seats and were beginning to pile food on their plates when they heard the familiar sound of someone descending the staircase. They turned, and stood up as one when they saw her.

The young woman who had woken up in the middle of the night by something frightening stood before them. She looked to be about 22. Her black hair was pulled back into a tight braid, appearing darker due to the black shirt, pants, and boots she was wearing. Her black belt was not the normal kind. This one held a variety of weapons that seemed more fitting for medieval times than modern. The other five girls knew that she had more weapons hidden on her person. The gem around her neck stood out against her dark clothing and continued to glow, even though it was daylight. Her dark green eyes were fierce, telling everyone who saw them that this was a girl on a mission and it would be wise to stay out of her way. The bags under them were the only evidence of how tired she was, and she hid those well.

"What's happened, Mackensie?" asked the sixteen-year-old.

"Much, Calandra," was Mackensie's answer. "My sisters," she said, addressing all the girls, "the last curse has struck its victim." Five voices gasped in unison. "We do not have much time. Prepare yourselves for our trip to Asgard. We may be there a while."

The girls finished filling up their plates and took them upstairs with them to their rooms. They changed into their battle clothes while pausing to take bites of food. While they normally wouldn't have bothered with it, they knew that the task before them would be more difficult than any others they had faced, and they needed all the strength they could get.

As soon as they were properly dressed for the job and had finished their meal, they ran downstairs to find Mackensie finishing her own breakfast. She turned to her sisters and saw them wearing outfits similar to her own. The only difference was the colors. The nineteen-year-old wore dark brown. Calandra was in dark green. The thirteen-year-old wore a deep red outfit. The ten-year-old was in a midnight-blue that matched her eyes. And, finally, the little seven-year-old wore dark purple. She would have gone with pink, except that a bright color would stand out more than a dark color would and they usually kept in the shadows.

Mackensie examined her sisters with a critical eye to make sure they were properly prepared. She turned to the one dressed in brown.

"Zelda, have you kept up with your training?"

"I have," was the answer. Zelda carried with her a long staff that was her favorite weapon, and the one she handled best.

"Calandra, how's your voice?"

"No signs that I'm losing it."

"Darshana, how are your eyes?"

"They haven't failed me yet," answered the one in red.

"Alcina, keeping your brain in shape?"

"I should hope everyone does," replied the girl in midnight blue.

Mackensie turned to the last girl, the youngest, dressed in purple. She knelt down in front of her and spoke in a soft voice.

"Keitha, we'll be inside most of the time and we'll be surrounded by a lot of people who will try to stop us. If you don't think you're up to the task, you don't have to go."

"I can handle it," the little girl said. "I want to help. Besides, you guys are hopeless without me."

Everyone laughed at that, despite the urgency of what they were about to do. Keitha always lit a spark of life in the dark times. Mackensie was proud to call Keitha her sister.

Mackensie stood up and examined her sisters once again. Aside from Zelda, none of them appeared to carry weapons of any kind. While she knew that appearances could be deceiving, and that all of them had weapons of some kind for when they needed them, they all had their own individual skills. They lived up to their names.

Mackensie just hoped that she could prove herself worthy of her own.

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Zelda: Warrior woman

Calandra: Skylark

Darshana: Seeing; sight

Alcina: Strong minded

Keitha: Forest; wood

"Mackensie" will be revealed later.

So now you know who the girls are, somewhat. Any other plot clues you can spot? Review and let me know. And keep reading.


	3. Chapter 3

blondehairedknowitall: Wait's over. Here you go.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Thor._

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Chapter 3: Setting out

Mackensie and her sisters gathered outside. Standing in a circle, they joined hands. Mackensie spoke the words and they disappeared. When they opened their eyes, they were in Asgard.

"Welcome, Ladies," a deep voice said.

"Hello, Heimdall," Mackensie responded.

They were at the broken end of the Bifrost. Heimdall knew them well. He also knew what they had come here for, and so made no effort to stop them or warn Odin about their presence. Little Keitha ran up to him, and the Gatekeeper bent down so that she could hug him.

"Prince Loki is in the healing room," Heimdall informed them as he straightened up. "Be on your guard. You will not find it easy to reach him."

"We have our skills, my friend," Mackensie reminded him, "and we know very well to keep out of sight unless necessary."

"I do not doubt your abilities," Heimdall said, "but Odin has increased the number of guards in the palace in anticipation of an attack."

"An attack from what?" Alcina asked.

"Frost Giants," Heimdall suggested. "Chitauri. Any beings who would love nothing more than to get their hands on Loki."

"We will be careful," Zelda said with confidence.

"You will be seen at some point," Heimdall responded, "and your quest shall become more difficult the closer you get to Loki." He looked at them, but his eyes held a smile rather than a warning. "Try not to damage anyone or anything."

"No promises," Mackensie told him. "You know us too well."

"That I do." With those words, the Gatekeeper turned back to the abyss and the girls began their walk towards Asgard.

Not even halfway there, Mackensie had to start carrying little Keitha piggy-back. The purple clad girl was not used to such long walks. Sure, they had gone hiking near their home, but those hikes had involved quite a few pauses to enjoy scenery or say hello to the wildlife or a quick lesson on nature, and their walks were never rushed. This was her first time on a quest as urgent as this one, and she had not built up enough endurance. And yet she insisted on staying with them.

Mackensie knew this was not a quest for little girls, but none of them, not even Keitha, was as young as they appeared to be.

They reached the gates to Asgard, and Mackensie had to set her sister down. The others stood back as they watched the oldest put her hand on the golden doors and speak a spell. The doors opened, but not completely. Just enough for the girls to get through. Once they were all inside the walls, the doors closed again.

They had not even completely shut when the women bolted for the quickest dark corner where they could hide. From now on, they had to remain in the shadows.

_Why must we stay in the shadows again? _little Keitha asked telepathically.

_You know that every being in the universe has a magical signature _Darshana responded. _Every individual has their own unique signature. It's a combination of an aura that determines what realm they are from and each of their parents' signatures. While some do not even know about them, others are aware of and can even see them. Those who can are usually people who have been raised in a magically-rich environment, like Asgard. We may look like Asgardians, or even mortals, but we are neither, so we must hide ourselves._

_Why in the shadows? _Keitha repeated. _Why can't you use your magic to shield us?_

_I could probably hide myself and one other person for the length of this quest _Darshana answered _but not all of us. We're lucky I was able to shield us until we could make it here. Shadows are meant to hide things, and so they dampen our signatures. Once we're in the dark, then I use my magic. Better to shield something that is already weak than to slightly shield something and hope the shadows can take care of the rest. We can't take any chances._

Keitha nodded in understanding, and they started walking again.

Going from shadow to shadow, they slowly made their way to the palace. When they arrived, they saw exactly what Heimdall had warned them about. The number of guards had more than doubled.

_Getting in with the usual amount would have been hard enough _Calandra pointed out.

_Has Odin become so paranoid that he distrusts his own forces? _Zelda asked.

_He is only being cautious _Alcina responded. _Loki is weak, and will only continue to grow weaker. He has made many enemies in this past year that would take advantage of this opportunity to destroy him should they get wind of it, just like Heimdall said._

_Loki grows weaker by the second as we waste time talking _Mackensie said. _Don't worry. I know another way in._

They backtracked a bit as Mackensie led them to a secret entrance: a long, dark tunnel that led from an alleyway to inside the palace. Darshana summoned a light and they followed as Mackensie led the way. The tunnel finally came to an end, with a short ladder leading up to a heavy block of stone. The others held back as Mackensie lifted it up. Peering out to check, she climbed up and out after confirming that the coast was clear. Her sisters followed. Looking around, they found themselves in a storage room filled with plants and herbs, both potted and dried.

_These are ingredients for potions _Keitha pointed out, recognizing quite a few.

_No one touch anything _Mackensie jokingly warned _or you might find yourself with a third arm or scales._

The others telepathically chuckled. They may have been alone, but no one was taking any chances of being discovered. The importance of this quest was too great.

Mackensie once again led the way, heading for the stairs and door that would lead into the palace halls. They had just reached the top and were waiting for Mackensie to open the door when it opened on its own.

Well, not on its own. When it completely opened, a guard stood there. He didn't waste any time attempting to subdue the intruders and to call for help. Neither did the girls waste any time preventing exactly that.

Alcina used her power of persuasion to convince him they weren't threats, and that he was extremely tired and should take a nice long nap. Mackensie and Zelda caught him as he fell, making sure that his armor didn't make any noise. Alcina did one last trick before the group walked away. When the guard woke up, he wouldn't remember a thing.

_Someone will eventually notice when he isn't seen for a while _Alcina pointed out _or if someone finds him._

_It will be a while before that happens _Mackensie said. _We must use that time to our advantage._

Using magic, the girls learned that the healing room was on the other side of the palace. All of them mentally groaned. This would only make things more difficult.

And things were. They had barely started walking when a group of ten guards spotted them. As the men prepared themselves to apprehend these strangers, the girls shared one last telepathic thought.

_Let the battle begin._

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So how was that? Are things moving too fast? Are they moving too slow? Am I portraying the characters well? Please review and let me know. Seriously, I only got one review last chapter. Please tell me what you think.


	4. Chapter 4

Lokiworshipper13: I'm glad I have you hooked. Your curiosity will be satisfied in future chapters, so keep on the lookout.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Thor._

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Chapter 4: The Task

The guards didn't stand a chance.

Within half an hour, all of them were either asleep, tied, gagged, and blindfolded, or walking in circles and muttering something unintelligible.

Zelda proved her skills as she disarmed the guards. Calandra used her voice like a siren, luring them away from their duties and/or lulling them to sleep. Darshana either blinded them or made them see that which was not there. Alcina pushed the important thoughts to the back of their minds and pulled other, sillier ones forward, much like hypnosis. Keitha encouraged certain, thorny plants from the storage room they had entered from to grow their branches long and their thorns sharp, and bind the guards so they could not move.

And where was Mackensie during all this? Well, first, she carefully hid the guards' weapons so they would have difficulty finding them once they escaped from their binds. Next, she bound and gagged the ones who had not fallen victim to her sisters' magic. She used very tight and complicated knots, making sure the guards would not find it easy to escape.

Compared to her sisters, it appeared that Mackensie wasn't doing much to help. The others didn't demand that she do anything else. They knew that the most difficult task was still to come, a task that only Mackensie could perform. She wasn't lazy or useless. She was merely saving her strength for when she was needed the most.

Once all the guards had been taken care of, Mackensie took the lead as she and her sisters began a straight sprint to the Healing Room.

The storage room they had entered from was a bit isolated, as it contained the more dangerous ingredients for potions, so it was a while before anyone else spotted them. Many servants saw them once they got to the more used areas and called for the guards, who came running to apprehend the intruders. The sisters took care of them as they went along, taking care not to stop too often, as they would only waste precious time. Mackensie fought as little as possible. The less strength she had once they reached their destination, the harder it would be to do what she had come here to do.

* * *

Little did the sisters know that, as they ran through the palace, causing chaos, they were being watched.

Upon hearing that a group of six maidens had entered the palace and were slowly taking out all the guards, Odin demanded to know who they were, why they were here, and where they were going.

Various servants informed him that they did not know who they were. They had never seen them before or even heard of such a group. They told him that, although these women had great strength and power, and did not want to be delayed at all, there were no serious injuries or casualties among the guards they had fought. They told him where the women had apparently entered from and where they had been seen so far. Odin mapped out their journey in his head and attempted to determine their destination. When he thought of the Healing Room, where Loki lay helpless and weak, he knew. A plan formed in his head, and he called forth his strongest warriors to help him carry it out.

* * *

Mackensie and her sisters were close. They only had a couple of hallways to go. No guards or servants were seen in the last few they had to pass through, which led Mackensie to believe that the strongest of Odin's forces would be waiting for them just before their destination. He had probably figured it out by now. He wasn't as stupid as his son.

Sure enough, as they rounded the corner and into the short hallway just before the entrance to the Healing Room, Sif and the Warriors Three were waiting for them. The four Asgardians drew their weapons and waited for the girls to charge before attacking them. The six sisters stopped to catch their breath. For a minute, all was silent except for the heavy breathing coming from exhausted bodies.

Finally, Mackensie spoke.

"We do not wish to harm you," she said. "We have an urgent mission and you are in our way. Please step aside."

"We have an urgent mission as well," Sif replied. "To prevent any of you from passing through these doors and fulfilling whatever evil deeds you have come here to do."

"Our intentions are not evil," Mackensie fired back. "We are only here to help."

"If you intended to help," Volstagg asked, "why did you not answer the messages sent out to find those who could?"

"We reside on Midgard," Mackensie answered. "Any messages would not have reached us. Please. Every second we waste means one more second passes before it could be too late to do anything."

"Don't think that just because you're pretty that we'll let you get on with what you came here to do." The others rolled their eyes and mentally groaned at Fandral's words.

"I never try to use my looks to gain anything and I have no tolerance for perverts, so SHUT! UP!" Mackensie shouted at the blond. If she had not been informed that this woman might be an enemy, Sif would have laughed at the look on Fandral's face.

Her sisters sensed it well before the Asgardians were aware that anything was happening. Mackensie was preparing herself to cast a spell. Her magic was the strongest out of their group, one of the reasons she was the only one who could perform the task. But if she used her magic here, she might not have enough once they were finally inside. They were prepared, though.

Alcina felt four of her sisters transfer all of their remaining strength to her. She gathered it all and, with one snap of her fingers, sent Sif and the Warriors Three into a deep slumber. They would sleep for at least one day and would not feel any ill effects once they woke up. As the four dropped to the ground, Mackensie turned back to her sisters and smiled.

_I'm glad to have the five of you by my side_ the others heard in their heads. They smiled back, and watched as Mackensie stepped over the bodies and opened the doors to the Healing Room. She was a bit disappointed in Odin. _Is that all he had? _she thought. The girls walked in. . . and stopped.

Standing before them, with the bedridden Loki right behind him, was Odin Allfather. He was dressed for battle, with Gungnir in his right hand. The only other person in the room was Frigga, standing beside Loki's bed and holding his hand. The dark prince was still asleep. He had not woken up for a few days now.

Mackensie stared at the king of Asgard for a moment, _Ok, so he did have something else_, then knelt down on one knee and put her fist to her chest as was proper. Her sisters followed suit. Even though these actions surprised him a bit, Odin did not let it show.

"From the moment you entered Asgard," he said, "until the moment just before you opened those doors, I could not see you. You entered the palace and took down every guard who tried to apprehend you. You speak of a mission and wasting time. But what mission could six mysterious young women and girls possibly have involving anyone here?"

He would have said more, but, at that moment, a cry of agonizing pain came from Loki. Frigga tried to calm him and the six sisters felt their hearts stop. Odin did not make any noticeable actions. He stayed perfectly still.

The gem around Mackensie's neck was glowing brighter than it ever had before. They were almost out of time.

"We could stay here talking forever," she began, "but that would not get anyone anywhere." Loki's screams grew louder. "And no matter what I say, you might not believe me. I am sorry, but this is the only way. Please trust me."

In less time than it takes to blink, Mackensie vanished, only to reappear by Loki's bedside. Odin turned around to see Mackensie quickly remove the gem she wore and place it around Loki's neck. She placed both of her hands over the gem and closed her eyes as a bright light enveloped both her and the sleeping man. Frigga stepped back.

For what felt like several hours, but was really less than ten minutes, Mackensie's audience watched. For a while it seemed like nothing was happening, then Loki's expression of torture softened until it looked as if he had never felt any pain at all. But while Loki's pain left him, Mackensie's face became so that it could only be described as someone who was trying to do a million things at once while fighting off Death at the same time.

Finally, the light faded and Mackensie stepped back, breathing hard. Loki's eyes fluttered for a moment, then opened. He slowly sat up. The gem, now dull and powerless, fell onto the sheets in front of him. He picked it up and stared at it as Frigga ran to him and threw her arms around him, crying. He hugged her back and looked around. He glanced questioningly at the five still-kneeling girls, avoided Odin's gaze, and stopped as his eyes landed on Mackensie, who smiled at him.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Hello, Loki," was all Mackensie managed to say before she collapsed.

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So how was that? What did you think? What's going to happen to the girls? Please, please, please review so I can update.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own _Thor. _I only own the plot, OCs, and the story they're about to tell.

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Chapter Five: The Story

Mackensie's eyes fluttered open as her head pounded in her skull.

_I used up a lot of strength, practically all I had. I really needed that sleep, maybe even a few hours more._

Looking around, she concluded that she was in Asgard's dungeons. Not surprising, after all she and her sisters had done. She tried to reach out to them but found that her magic was neutralized.

_Of course _she thought. _Odin wasn't going to lock us up without making sure that we couldn't escape._

She slowly sat up and looked around again, the pounding in her head slightly receding. Noticing a plate of food, she didn't hesitate to pick out a piece a fruit and take a bite.

_He's going to give us a trial. I'll have a chance to explain everything then, and hopefully he'll listen. I hope Loki has fully recovered. I should like for him to be present._

She had barely finished eating, and gotten rid of the pounding in her head, when she heard the door of her cell unlocking. She turned and saw a guard enter. He held a pair of magic-neutralizing handcuffs.

"Why do you have those?" Mackensie asked, pointing to the handcuffs. "I can tell my magic's already chained up. Even if it weren't, I wouldn't be able to do much with it right now."

"The walls are laced with spells to render anyone with magic powerless," the guard answered. "As soon as you left, you would have it back. Odin's not taking any chances with you six. Hurry up. Your trial starts soon."

"Already?" Mackensie stepped forward and held out her hands for the guard to attach the cuffs. "I knew he'd be eager to get answers, but I would have thought he would wait a few days to take care of any damage we did, though we tried to do as little harm as possible, and possibly make sure Loki has fully recovered."

The guard stopped and starred at her. She starred back.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Miss," he began, "you have been asleep for five days."

"Five days?!"

"They kept you in the Healing Room at first to make sure you were not dead. You weren't moving and it almost seemed as if you were not breathing, either. You were only moved her yesterday. Odin decided that as soon as you were awake, you were to have your trial."

"I just did a great magical working," Mackensie groaned. "Five straight days of sleeping isn't enough."

"Complain to him," the guard told her with a smile. "I was only sent to collect you and bring you to judgment."

"Very well. Lead on."

The guard that brought the handcuffs, as well as half a dozen more guards, escorted Mackensie to the throne room. Upon entering, she saw Odin sitting on his throne, with Frigga standing on his right side. Standing on the steps leading up to the throne were the Warriors Three to his left and Thor, Loki, and Sif to his right. Mackensie mentally sighed with relief at the sight of Loki standing tall on his own two legs. Many members of the Asgardian court were present, eager to learn about these mysterious women. Lined up before the steps were Mackensie's sisters, all wearing identical magic-neutralizing handcuffs. Mackensie was placed in the line-up, with Zelda, Darshana, and Keitha on her left and Calandra and Alcina on her right.

Odin stood up, and everyone turned to look at him.

"State your names," he said.

Starting with the youngest, the girls told him their first names only. After Zelda spoke hers, it was Mackensie's turn.

"I am Mackensie," she said, "the eldest of my sisters."

"And the name you share?" Odin asked.

He was referring to their last name. Mackensie smirked.

"Laufeydaughter."

The entire audience, minus Loki and Odin, gasped. While Odin's face remained stoic, Loki's expression was one of relief. Though he would never admit it to anyone, he was actually glad to know that he was not the only child of Laufey who was small.

"Why did you come to Asgard?"

"To break our brother's curse."

There were more gasps, followed by many whispered "curse?" or "brother?" while glancing at Loki. Odin called for silence.

"Why do you believe _my son's _illness was a curse?"

"I know that _my brother's _illness was a curse. You must admit that you could not determine why this did not seem like an ordinary illness and that there was no cure that you could find."

"Explain yourself."

"My pleasure," Mackensie said with a grin. "It's quite a long story, and I should like as few interruptions as possible."

"Very well." Odin sat down. "Proceed."

"It begins before the war between Jotunheim and Asgard," Mackensie began. "My father had started a search for the strongest weapons our people could make. He was approached by a sorcerer who claimed to be building a weapon that would make its wielder undefeatable. Laufey was intrigued by the idea of this weapon. He told the sorcerer to bring him the finished product so that he may test it out and see for himself.

"When the sorcerer brought the weapon, Laufey asked for two of his strongest warriors to spar with each other, one using this weapon. In the beginning, it seemed that the sorcerer had succeeded. The warrior who did not wield this special weapon had yet to land a single blow. But then, the weapon's power got out of control. It killed both of the sparing warriors, as well as many others who were watching, and destroyed a small portion of the palace. The sorcerer deeply apologized to Laufey, saying that he had no idea his weapon would turn on its wielder, or that it would do so in such a violent way. He offered to fix it but my father refused, saying he did not want to risk losing more soldiers."

"What does this weapon have to do with the curse you claim had taken Loki?" Odin asked.

"I was getting there," Mackensie said with a scowl. "I believe I asked for as few interruptions as possible."

Odin frowned, but waited for her to continue.

"Our problems would have ended there, except the sorcerer made the mistake of asking for payment for his efforts. While that might not seem like a big deal, you must first understand that whenever Laufey asked for new weapons or spells he made it clear that he would not pay anyone for faulty products. He nearly killed the sorcerer then and there for being so bold. He refused to pay the sorcerer, who was less than happy about it.

"He went back to his home, where he proceeded to curse the children of Laufey. The females would be forever small, and the males would experience a slow and painful illness and horrifying nightmares before eventually dying."

"If only the females were cursed to be small, then what happened to me?"

Mackensie turned to Loki, who remember the agonizing pain and vivid nightmares he had endured.

"You are a shapeshifter," Mackensie answered. "You can be both male and female. Perhaps the curse was confused and just decided to go with both halves of it."

"I thought I had been abandoned because of my size," Loki said, with obvious hatred for his birth father in his voice.

"First off," Mackensie shouted at him, "if Father had abandoned you because of _your_ size, that would mean he would have to abandon his daughters for the same reason! And he did not abandon us! Second, you were not abandoned either!"

Loki turned to Odin with questions in his eyes. When Odin ignored him, he turned back to Mackensie with those same questions.

"Laufey feared that because you were both small _and_ male," Mackensie said, "you would not be strong enough to hold off the curse, at least not long enough for help to arrive, when it came to claim you. He placed you in the temple, the most sacred part of Jotunheim, praying that the magic of the place might strengthen you. I'm told he was quite heartbroken when he found you were gone. He didn't know if you were even still alive. He truly did love you."

Loki absorbed all of this, and turned so that no one would see his tears.

"What proof do you have to justify your claim?" Loki spat out angrily.

Mackensie opened her mouth to reply, but did not get the chance to say a word.

"Is that the end of your story?" Odin asked.

Mackensie quietly growled, but not quiet enough that her sisters couldn't hear, and answered "No. As the sorcerer was casting the curse, his daughter, a powerful sorceress herself, walked in on him. She was a lady of the Jotun court, and also very much in love with Laufey." That caught everyone's attention, if the first part of the story hadn't already done so.

"This woman was also a good friend of Farbauti, Laufey's new wife. Rather than feel anger or jealousy, she congratulated the couple and wished them happiness in their marriage." Most of the audience was disappointed. They were hoping for something more dramatic than that. "When she saw what her father was doing, she immediately thought about her friend and the man she loved. She had just returned from hearing the announcement that the Queen was with child. It would be the couple's first, a son that would become known to all as Loki."

The entire audience turned to the person just mentioned, who wanted nothing more than to melt into the shadows. Mackensie continued.

"The sorcerer had not finished casting the curse, but there was nothing that could be done to reverse it."

"What do you mean by that?" Odin asked.

"Do you remember the gem I used to heal Loki?"

"This gem?"

Mackensie turned to see Loki holding up that same gem.

"Yes," she answered.

"I recognize it," Loki said. "It's a very rare kind found only on Jotunheim. It amplifies the power of anyone who uses magic a hundred-fold. Any spell cast with one of these is permanent."

"Which is why there was nothing the sorceress could do to reverse the curse," Mackensie followed up. "Her father used that exact gem to cast the curse. But since the casting was not complete, she still had a chance to save Laufey's children.

"She pushed her father aside, took control of the gem, and made this change: the eldest daughter of Laufey, which would be me, would be the strongest magic-user ever born of Jotunheim, and would be able to use the power of the gem used to cast the curse to heal the sons of Laufey. Once all the sons of Laufey were healed, the curse would be broken and the gem would become powerless."

"So this is just an ordinary stone now?" Loki asked, looking at the gem in his hand.

"Yes," Mackensie answered.

"What happened to the sorceress and her father?"

"Once the change to the curse had been made," Mackensie explained, "the sorceress finished the casting. No further changes could be made. She had barely finished when her father attacked and fatally wounded her. Afraid that, if left alive, he would only continue to seek revenge on Laufey, she returned the attack and ended her father's life.

"Completely ignoring her own wounds, the sorceress took the gem and forced herself to travel to the palace. When she found Laufey and Farbauti, she told them about the curse her father had cast and what she had done to help. After handing the gem to Laufey, she died in his arms. Laufey had a memorial built to honor and remember her bravery. It still stands today."

"So Laufey gave you the gem because you were the only one who could cure his sons?" Odin asked.

"Yes," Mackensie answered. "I had cured my two brothers that still reside in Jotunheim many years ago. The only one who remained was Loki."

"If I am the eldest of Laufey's sons," Loki inquired, "why was I the last to be taken by the curse?"

"I cannot be sure," Mackensie replied, "but perhaps it's because you were convinced that you were Odin's son. For the longest time, you truly believed that you were Asgardian. Your recently discovered heritage might have been what triggered the curse."

"So I would have been safe if I had remained ignorant?" Loki asked.

"I don't know, and now we never will."

"Outside the Healing Room," Sif began, "you mentioned that you lived on Midgard and would not have received any messages of Loki's illness. If you are Jotun, why do you live with mortals? And how did you know to come here before it was too late?"

"Not many people were friendly towards my sisters and me because of our size," Mackensie said, "even though we are Princesses of Jotunheim. Our mother was the loudest voice of reason. When she died, not long after Keitha was born, the alienation was so great that we were terrified to even leave our chambers. Father didn't know what to do with us. Finally, I asked for his permission to take my sisters and live on Midgard. He was adamant at first, but he eventually acquiesced after seeing how roughly we were treated. We're much happier on Midgard that we ever were on Jotunheim. We still visit, but not for long.

"As to how I knew to come here, Laufey told me."

"But Laufey's dead," Loki said. "I killed him."

"Yes," Mackensie said, "and consider yourself lucky that I was able to calm our brother's anger, otherwise he would have hunted you down and slaughtered you." The tone in her voice sent shivers down Loki's spine.

"So how did Laufey inform you of Loki's condition?" Odin asked.

"One of my abilities," Mackensie began, "is that I can speak to those who have died." The audience gasped once again. "Sometimes I can even allow others to speak with them. I can't do it now, though. I used up all my strength healing Loki. Laufey came to me in my dreams the night before my sisters and I came here and told me that the curse had taken Loki."

"I would have thought he would let me die," Loki said, "after what I did to him."

"That is my proof that he loved you then and loves you still," Mackensie said. Loki looked at her. "He understands why you did what you did, and he forgives you. Whenever he gets the chance he looks in on you. As soon as he saw that the curse had taken you, he came to me."

All was silent for a few minutes. Loki didn't seem to be affected by Mackensie's words, but those closest to him saw the tears that fell from his eyes. Finally, he walked down the steps and towards Mackensie. No one stopped him. When he reached her, he threw his arms around her and hugged her close.

"Thank you," he whispered.

Mackensie hugged him back, and soon after felt her sisters join in for a group hug. It lasted quite a while.

On his throne, Odin smiled. _She is truly worthy of her name._

Mackensie.

Daughter of a wise leader.

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I think that's the longest chapter I've ever written for any of my fanfictions. How was it? Did you like the story? This isn't the end, though. There's more to come. Review so that you can find out what happens next.


	6. Chapter 6

: Thank you. I hope you had a box of tissues nearby.

Kayleigh: Thank you. Here's the update.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Thor._

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Chapter 6: A Place to Call Home

One bright morning two years later saw the Laufeydaughter sisters the same way they had been the day they went to Asgard. As soon as Mackensie had finished telling her story to Odin and the entire Asgardian court, they had returned home. They had been gone for too long to stay a minute more. Hardly any news from Asgard had reached them. Anything they heard about recent events was relayed to them from Byleistr and Helblindi, their brothers on Jotunheim.

None of them had outwardly changed much in that time. There was only one difference this morning. Mackensie was downstairs in the kitchen, making breakfast smoothies using a recipe she had been perfecting for almost a month. She still wore the gem around her neck, even though it had no use. She also seemed a bit tired, as if she hadn't gotten enough sleep for quite a few nights. The other girls noticed, but paid no attention to it. This was apparently normal for Mackensie.

They had just finished setting everything on the table and were about to sit down when they heard a knock at the front door. All of them froze. They never got visitors. The only one who ever regularly came to their house was the mailman, who never came out this early and never knocked on the door.

The knock was heard again. The sisters' only move was to glance at each other in curiosity and fear. They knew they would be able to handle any threat, but what threat literally comes knocking on your front door? After the knock was heard a third time, Mackensie walked to the door. Her sisters silently followed her. Pausing in the entryway, they watched as their sister looked through the peephole. She had scarcely done so when she hurried to unlock the door and opened it, revealing a very familiar face.

"Loki!"

The God of mischief found himself being smothered by his sisters as they hugged him. He hugged them back, then carefully dislodged himself from their grip, laughing as he did so.

"What are you doing here?" Alcina voiced the question they were all thinking.

"After you left," Loki explained, "Odin sentenced me to repair Asgard's political ties with Jotunheim."

"We heard about that," Calandra said. Their elder brother Byleistr, crowned King after the death of Laufey, had ranted for nearly an hour during one of their visits about Odin sending their father's murderer to talk about peace with him. The girls had tuned him out after the first two minutes.

"A truce was finally agreed upon," Loki continued. "I could not leave Asgard until then, but now I am free to go where I wish."

"So you came for a visit?" Darshana asked. "You could have told us you were coming."

"This is not strictly a visit," Loki said, "and I wanted to surprise you."

"You surprised us all right," Keitha said. Her stomach growled just then, and her face turned bright red as the rest of them laughed a bit.

"You can tell us the rest of the story over breakfast," Mackensie said in a voice that left no room for argument or refusal, not that she would have gotten one.

An extra chair and table setting was brought out. Once all the plates had been filled up, there was little room for chat as they filled their stomachs. After they had satisfied the worst of their hunger pains, they slowed down and began to resume the conversation.

"You said this was not strictly a visit," Zelda began. "So why else are you here?" Loki put down his fork.

"I am free to go wherever I wish, but there are not many places I wish to go," he said. "Asgard holds many unpleasant memories for me, and Jotunheim holds even less pleasant memories. I would rather not stay in either of those worlds any longer than I must. All the Nine Realms know what I did on Midgard, so none of them are at all friendly towards me." He paused here for a minute. "I have this feeling of homesickness, and yet I do not even know where my home is."

"Let me guess," Alcina said. "You want to see if this place feels like home." Loki smiled.

"I never really had a chance to speak to you when you came to Asgard," he responded. "I should like to get to know my sisters. And, yes, I do want to know if _your _home can feel like _my _home."

"Your home is where your heart is," Mackensie said, "with your family and friends and the people you care about. A home is where your heart and soul find peace and rest."

"Asgard never felt like that for me," Loki said. "Perhaps Earth will. I actually quite liked it when I was here before."

"You were trying to rule this world the last time you came," Mackensie reminded him. "Not many people will be happy when they hear you've returned with the intention of staying. But if this is the place your heart is looking for, then welcome home."

"Welcome home," the rest of the girls chorused. Loki smiled, the first true smile he had shown for many years.

After breakfast and their usual chores, the Laufeydaughter sisters worked to turn one of the spare rooms into a room fit for a God of mischief. Next, the chore chart had to be revised. When Loki tried to complain after seeing that he was now on the schedule, Mackensie got right up in his face and told him "I'll have no lazybums in this house. If you don't take your turn helping out, then you can go right back to Asgard." Let's just say that Loki learned not to argue with Mackensie.

To celebrate the newest addition to the Crazy House, the Laufeydaughter sisters set up a fire pit outside and brought out the chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows. If you haven't figured it out already, they made s'mores. This was their tradition. Whenever a family member achieved a great accomplishment, or it was just a birthday or holiday or any other time they felt like celebrating, they made s'mores. It had started when they didn't really know how these events were celebrated on this world or what else to do to make these days special. Loki had never had one before and was a bit adamant about trying them. His sisters were quite pleased when he ate five of them.

It wasn't very late when the group went to bed. They just had to get up early the next morning for breakfast duties and chores, something that Loki was not pleased about. He didn't voice any complaints though, not after Mackensie's earlier lecture. They all said good night to one another and headed for their rooms. Loki, however, did not miss the look of terror and expectation, like a child who knew they were going to have frightening nightmares but also knew that there was nothing they could do to stop them from coming, that was visible on Mackensie's face.

He had no idea just how accurate that description was.

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I know this chapter was a bit short. I'll try to make the next one longer.

So Loki is now living with his sisters, and he has to work. Let's see how long he'll last.

Mackensie-Loki scenes in the next chapter. Review and let me know what you think of this one.


	7. Chapter 7

Miskinhas: Your wait is over.

blondehairedknowitall: Thank you. Glad you like it. Here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Thor._

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Chapter 7: Nightmares

_Mackensie was surrounded by complete darkness, a darkness so dense it was suffocating. The temperature fluctuated dramatically every few seconds: one moment felt like she was in the heart of a volcano, the next felt as if she was completely naked in a cold that was absolute zero. The darkness suddenly vanished, and it became so bright that it burned. The light was in her eyes even after she had closed them._

_When she was finally able to open them without going blind, she saw the bloody, mutilated bodies of her sisters. She could feel that it was them even though they had been chopped up so much as to be unrecognizable. She tried to close her eyes, but found that she couldn't. She looked away, only to see the bodies of her brothers in the same condition as her sisters. She tried looking in a different direction, only to see the bodies of her parents. They, too, were mutilated beyond recognition._

_She tried to run away, but she might as well have tried to swim through peanut butter. Also, it felt like something was clawing at her legs, trying to slow her down even more. She looked down to find that something _was _clawing at her legs: the bloodied hands of her family. _

_She heard their voices, telling her that she had failed to protect them, asking her why she had done nothing to help them, asking her what they had done to make her hate them so much that she would betray them in such a way. Other voices, strangers' voices, joined in, asking her the same things._

_She tried to escape, only to be mobbed by horrifying images of soldiers and beasts slaughtering her family, or, worse, _herself _slaughtering them. She tried to scream, but couldn't open her mouth. She kept trying. Her mouth finally opened and she took a deep breath and. . ._

* * *

Mackensie sat up in bed in a cold sweat. No scream escaped her lips. She had trained herself better than that. The memory of the nightmare was already fading. She couldn't remember any of it, but she knew it had been horrible, just like it had been every single night for the past two years.

Knowing that she would not fall asleep again anytime soon, she threw off the covers and left her bedroom. She walked as quietly as she could, even though she knew none of her sisters would wake up. They had all had a busy day helping Loki settle in. She walked down the stairs, into the kitchen, and turned on the light, only to find someone already there.

She jumped as the dark figure turned around, only to reveal that it was Loki. He had a cup of milk in one hand and a box of Thin Mints in the other. When it clicked in Makensie's mind who it was, she relaxed.

"Why are you still up?" she asked in a whisper.

"I could ask you the same thing," Loki responded, also in a whisper. Neither of them spoke for a minute, then Loki said "I couldn't sleep."

"Why not?" Mackensie asked, even though she was pretty sure she knew what the answer would be.

"The nightmares I had during my curse; they haunt me." Yup, she was right. "I can barely remember them, and what memories I still have are fading, but I haven't forgotten how much they terrified me."

Mackensie got herself a cup of milk and hopped up on the counter next to where Loki stood, helping herself to a couple of cookies, talking as she did so. "Byleistr and Helblindi were like that after I healed them. Except they knew what was coming. You had no idea what would happen to you."

"They knew about the curse?" Loki asked.

"Mother and Father decided that each of us would be told about it when we reached the age equivalent to that of a mortal teenager," Mackensie replied.

"Then why do Alcina and Keitha know about it? They're not at that age yet."

"We were visiting Jotunheim when the curse took Byleistr, so they demanded to know what was happening. It took him fast. He was the first one to be affected, so it would also be my first time healing. I was so nervous. I almost didn't want to go through with it."

"But if you hadn't, then Byleistr would have died."

"Yes."

There was an awkward moment of silence.

"Were they frightened?" Macknesie turned to Loki with a questioning look. "Were Byleistr and Helblindi frightened by the knowledge of the curse, of what would happen to them?"

"Father used to say that only the greatest fool is not frightened by something frightening," Mackensie answered. "Yes, they were frightened, but I think I was more frightened than either of them."

"Why?" Loki asked. "You were not the one who would have died. You were not the one who had to endure such nightmares and excruciating pain." Mackensie looked at the floor.

"But I would have been the one who failed them. If I had not cured them, Byleistr and Helblindi would have only died. Their souls would be free of pain and they would have no more worries. I, however, would live the rest of my life with the guilt that I could have done something to help them, and didn't. I would live with the guilt that I had let them die. I would never have been able to face my mother and father again knowing that I was the reason they would never see their sons alive again." She paused, then continued.

"And you're wrong about the nightmares and pain." Loki looked at her quizzically. Mackensie didn't notice. "It's part of _my _curse. Whenever I healed one of my brothers, I felt every bit of pain that they did, that you did. I saw all of your nightmares. I know what terrifies you the most, what you are most afraid of seeing, who you are most afraid of losing. You experienced it only once, but I had to endure it three times. And it got harder each time. I had a sense of what to expect, but I could never imagine such terrors. There were times during the healing that I wanted to give up, but I knew that I couldn't or else you would die. I experienced all the nightmares and pain without the thought that Death would come to take me away from it all. But I still had to, for Byleistr and Helblindi. And for you."

Tears started to fall from her eyes as she spoke. They came faster as she continued, and they came in larger numbers. She wiped them away after she finished talking, but they just kept coming. She finally buried her face in her hands, sobbing, letting the tears flow.

Loki was silent. He was thinking back on her words. What terrified him the most? What was he most afraid of seeing? _Who was he most afraid of losing? _He had never truly been terrified, except for when he saw his arm turn blue the first time. There were quite a few things he didn't want to see, but none of them were enough to frighten him. There weren't a lot of people he cared about so much that he would be devastated if he lost them. There were his sisters, but he hadn't know about them when the curse struck. There was Frigga, the woman who had raised him and loved him like her own son, but he had the odd feeling that she wasn't the only one he had dreamed about.

So what _had _he dreamed about those nights in the Healing Room? He couldn't remember. Mackensie knew, as she also saw his nightmares, but he didn't think she would tell him. Not now at least.

He turned to his sister and asked "Why are you still awake at this hour?"

Mackensie lifted her head to look at him. There were tear stains on her face, and her eyes were bloodshot. She didn't speak for a while. He almost though she wouldn't answer.

"I, too, am haunted by the nightmares I witnessed," she finally said. "I am haunted by nightmares of my own. I can never remember what happened in them, but I remember how they made me feel. This happened after I cured Byleistr and Helblindi. I have no more brothers to heal, so I will never have to experience that ever again, thank Yggdrasill. But I am still recovering from when I healed you."

Loki was once again silent. His own experiences with the curse were horrible enough. Mackensie had to endure all of that three times. He felt a sudden wave of respect for his sister. She must be so strong, to know what was coming and still force herself to go through it, to save the people she loved. Would he ever have the courage to do something like that?

He didn't know what brought it on, but he suddenly found himself with his arm around his sister, holding her close. She started crying again. Loki let her. They stayed like that for a few minutes, neither of them moving. Finally, Mackensie dried her eyes and lifted her face. She smiled at Loki.

"Thanks for listening," she said.

"Thank _you_ for listening," he responded.

Both of them suddenly turned their heads towards the stairs.

"GO TO BED, YOU LOT!" they shouted in unison.

Thunder was heard as five girls ran back into their bedrooms and closed their doors. A second passed before the doors opened again, and five voices yelled out "HYPOCRITES!" before slamming shut again.

"How long do you think they were listening?" Loki asked.

"Long enough," Mackensie answered. The two of them laughed. "They're right, though. We should get to bed."

They finished their milk and polished off half a box of cookies before finally heading upstairs. Loki watched Mackensie as she walked into her room and closed the door, smiling to himself before entering his own room.

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The Loki-Mackensie scenes I promised! So what did you think? Was it too cheesy?

This might be the last chapter. I don't know if I'll write another one after this. No sequel. Sorry. There will be a sequel for Heal Me. Be sure to check it out. If you don't know what that story is, look it up. It's awesome.


	8. Chapter 8

blondehairedknowitall: Thank you so much. Here's that chapter you wanted.

Miskinhas: Don't die. You've got one more chapter to read. And you're welcome for the story.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Thor._

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Chapter 8: The Talk

"Are you ready?"

"No, but it has to happen sometime, doesn't it?"

Mackensie and Loki stood side-by-side in a large meadow quite a ways into the forest. She had brought them here after Loki had made a request. He had seemed so sure of himself in the beginning, but now, when truly faced with the reality of what he had asked, he wasn't so sure anymore. Though he would never tell anyone, even if Mackensie could see it written all over his face, he was terrified. These were some of the only nightmares he remembered, and he knew he had to meet face-to-face with this particular demon before he could start to get any peace, and a good night's rest.

Mackensie walked away from him a bit and raised her hands, palms up, towards the sky. She spoke the required words, and clouds began to roll in. Loki's heart was beating so loudly he thought his sister could hear it. She could. Ignoring her brother's fear, she continued with the summoning spell. She didn't stop until a ghostly figure appeared before her.

The spirit opened his eyes and gazed down at the woman who had called him from the afterlife. She nodded to him, and gestured with her head towards her companion. The spirit nodded back, then turned towards Loki.

"Hello, my son."

"Hello, Father."

The silence after that brief exchange was so great you could hear a pin drop. Mackensie stood there, awkwardly looking back and forth from her brother to her father. So much needed to be said, but it seemed as if neither wanted to be the first to say something. Finally, after what felt like hours, but was really only five minutes, she snapped.

"SOMEBODY SAY SOMETHING," she shouted as the men started and turned to her, "BEFORE LOKI CHICKENS OUT AND RUNS AWAY!"

"Excuse me?" Loki almost couldn't believe she had actually said that. "This was my idea to begin with."

"And right now you're acting more like a guy who was forced to wear a hot-pink bikini at a swim party."

Loki glared at her. If there was one thing he had learned about his sisters in the time he had been living with them, it was that they loved playing pranks. As the God of Mischief, one would think that he wouldn't have minded, except _he _had become the target of many of their pranks.

"If you even think of actually doing such a thing," he began, "or even mentioning it to our sisters, you will wake up one morning to find a bilgesnipe in your bed." Mackensie looked confused.

"Why would I go to bed with Thor?"

There was no venom in her bite. She was just trying to lighten the mood, and possibly make Loki laugh. She succeeded on both counts. Even Laufey chuckled a bit.

"I'll just leave you two alone now," she said. Loki panicked a bit. "I better hear you two talking though, because, if I don't, I am coming back here and making you two talk until you lose your voices." With that, she walked away and into the trees.

"She'll do it," Laufey said when Mackensie was out of sight. "She's done it before."

"Perhaps we could just cast a spell to make it sound like we're talking?" Loki suggested.

"It won't fool her."

"You bet it won't! Now start talking!"

Loki shuddered when Mackensie's voice rang out from the trees. _That woman really scares me sometimes._

"You asked to see me?" Laufey's voice reminded him of what exactly it was he was doing out here.

"Yes."

"Your brothers had to face their fears as well after their curse. They were nervous wrecks until they were at peace with the nightmares they had been forced to endure."

"There's only one demon I need to face: my heritage." Laufey looked at his son with a sad face.

"All your life you were taught that Frost Giants are blood-thirsty monsters. And then, when you found out, Odin did nothing to help you. I am not surprised at the actions you took."

"Your war with Asgard is what gave you the reputation of being monsters," Loki pointed out. "Not only did you lose the war, but you also lost the Casket."

"I also lost you."

Loki looked away. The topic of his adoption was still a painful subject to talk about in his presence.

"You were not abandoned."

"So Mackensie has told me, but her word is not enough." He looked up at Laufey. "I have to hear it from you as well."

"You just did."

"Simply saying something is one thing. Meaning them is something else."

"Why would I abandon you?" Loki wanted to say it was because of his size, but, as Mackensie had pointed out two years ago, she and her sisters had not been abandoned for their size. He didn't respond to Laufey's question. "If you cannot give me a reason, then you must assume there is none."

"And all that time you thought I was dead?"

"Obviously, there was no body to confirm our fears, but none believed that the Allfather would raise a Frost Giant, especially the King's son, never mind raise it as his own. When you came to Jotunheim, with the offer of letting me kill Odin, all I could think about was that I would finally have my revenge on the one who took my son from me. I did not learn who you were until after you had killed me." Loki winced.

"Mackensie said she stopped her brother from killing me in return. How did she know who I was?"

"I told her. I also told her that I was not angry, that I understood your reasons. I was just relieved that my son, the son I thought had died so many years ago, was alive. When I saw that the curse had taken you, I wasted no time informing her. I had suffered the death of my son once before. I did not want to suffer again by watching him die, especially not like that."

A few tears escaped from Loki's eyes. He paid no attention to them.

"I don't know how I can ever be forgiven for what I've done."

"You have already received punishment enough for your actions. You do not need more. And besides, your actions helped make you the man you are today, a man I am proud to call my son." Loki looked up at his father as more tears fell. "As for forgiveness, I forgave you the moment I learned who you are, and that is all you need." They both smiled.

The sound of running was heard, and they turned to see Mackensie approaching them.

"I can't keep him here much longer," she said as she reached them. Laufey was already beginning to fade. "Say your last words to each other."

"Father. . ." Loki began as he turned back to Laufey. The Frost Giant stopped him.

"Whatever you have done," Laufey said, "whatever you plan to do now, whatever people say about you, never doubt that I love you."

The tears came faster as Laufey's image wavered, then faded completely. Loki sank to his knees. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Mackensie standing next to him, pale from using so much power.

"I won't be able to do that again for a while," she told him, "but I will be able to do it. This won't be the last time you two talk. Just don't forget what you'd like to say to him. Save it for next time."

Loki stood up and hugged his sister, who was swaying a bit due to exhaustion.

"Thank you for doing this for me," he said.

"I didn't do it just for you," she responded. "I did it for him, too. You both had a lot you needed to say to one another."

Loki pulled back and looked at his sister.

"I don't know how I can thank you for all that you've done for me."

"You can start by carrying me back to the house. I don't think I'll make it."

To prove her point, her legs collapsed underneath her. Loki caught her and knelt down as she maneuvered herself onto his back. He stood up and made sure she was secure before walking away from the meadow.

Mackensie fell asleep halfway back, but Loki wasn't paying much attention. His thoughts were on the conversation he just had with his birth father. So much had been said, and so much hadn't. But, as Mackensie pointed out, something she seemed to do a lot of, he would be able to speak with Laufey again. For now, he could just focus on heading back to his new home, his new life.

And somewhere he could drop Mackensie. She was starting to snore in his ear.

!#$%$%^*&^*(*)(*&^~!$ !$ #%#^&*(P)&^%^!# $%^$&*^(^^*%&!

The end!

So what did you think? Of the story? Of the conversation? Of the ending? Review and tell me.

Bonus: There's a line in here from a deleted scene from Thor. Cyber cookies if you can tell me what it is.

Amalthea Shine


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